Justice
Author: Fanchiction
Title: Guilty
Pairing: Miranda/Stephen, Andy/Miranda
Rating: M
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Summary: Sequel to Guilty.
Andy peeked into the dark study to see Miranda idly fidgeting with the fur on Patricia’s belly. She squinted to see the clock on Miranda’s desk and sighed. Soon, people would be leaving. Soon, she would be out of this tedious gown and sleeping soundly in her own bed.
Laughter and the clinking of glasses could be heard from downstairs. “Look at you, hiding out,” she finally husked.
Miranda jumped up at the sound, and only slightly settled when the lights flickered on. “Don’t sneak up on me,” she hissed.
“I wasn’t trying to...” Andy plopped down on the couch next in between Miranda and Patricia. “I missed you. Why‘d you disappear?”
“I just couldn’t bear to sit through another second of that vapid conversation,” she rumbled. “Robert certainly is the life of my party, isn‘t he?”
“Miranda…” Andy warned.
“No, you should be happy, Andrea. You’ve managed to find someone even more wide-eyed and sickeningly charming than yourself. I’ll bet you even have matching pajamas.”
Andy cringed. Rob was admittedly the smoothest operator she’d ever met. “That’s not fair, Miranda. You made me bring a date. You told me that it would make things easier. I didn’t even want to come to this stupid thing-”
“Calm down,” Miranda cooed, seemingly softer. “Robert isn’t entirely useless. I’m just… being difficult.”
Andy cocked an eyebrow. “How… out of character of you,” she teased before kneeling down in front of her lover.
Miranda would have reprimanded the girl if her mouth wasn’t suddenly full of… well, Andrea’s mouth. She whimpered in spite of herself. “You should go back downstairs.”
“You should shut up and let me kiss you,” Andy whispered, ignoring the suggestion. She shooed Patricia away and straddled Miranda on the couch.
“Andrea, stop it,” the editor panted as she tried to ignore the throb between her thighs. Losing an internal battle against her desire, Miranda managed to top Andrea and pull the girl’s dress up around her waist. Her nimble fingers found their familiar haven in between Andy’s thighs and, within seconds, she was stroking and teasing Andy through black lace.
“These cost half of my paycheck,” the brunette grunted, pulling at the waistband of her panties. She wanted them off. Fast.
“I’ll buy you a new pair!” Miranda gasped.
Tonight, they didn’t have time to spare- And thank God that Andy didn’t need all of the extras. Surely it was only a matter of time before people noticed their absence downstairs.
“I need you…“ Andy breathed. “Inside…“ Without warning, Miranda pushed three anxious fingers into Andy. “Ouch! Fuck!” the brunette yelped before snatching Miranda’s hand from inside of her. “Are you wearing rings?!”
Miranda’s cheeks flushed.
Andy sat back, and noted that one of the rings on her lover’s fingers was her wedding band. “I’ve never seen you wear those before…” she panted, biting back newly ignited flames of jealousy.
Miranda looked as if she’d been doused with ice water. “I just forgot to take them off,” she grumbled. “I wasn’t expecting you to burst in here and-”
“You mean you always wear your wedding ring when you’re not with me?” the brunette stuttered as she struggled to ignore the slickness between her thighs.
Miranda sighed and pulled away. “He’s my husband, Andrea…”
“I know that, Miranda,” Andy hissed.
The room remained silent for several moments until Miranda finally whispered, “I know that you know.” She pulled Andy’s head to her lips for a softer kiss, and sighed. She turned to kiss Andy again-this time, softly on her lips.
“We should go back downstairs,” Andy groaned, reluctant to pull away. “Although… Stephen and Rob seem to be getting along really well. I see the start of a beautiful bromance. Wouldn’t that be convenient? They could distract each other while we…. distract each other…” She wiggled her eyebrows with a devious grin.
Miranda’s lips twitched into the beginnings of a smile. “Stephen is just a friendly drunk. Trust me; he’s incapable of making even that small of a commitment when he‘s sober.”
“He sure is committed to staying married to you,” Andy mumbled.
Miranda frowned. “You go first. I’ll wait a few minutes.”
Andy nodded and slipped out of the office.
Back downstairs, she found Rob and a group of men in too-expensive suits still engaged in a riveting real estate discussion. “Excuse me boys,” Andy drawled. She took a hold of Rob’s arm and pulled him into a nearby corner. “Can we leave? Now?.”
***************************
Andy couldn’t believe that she’d said those three words to Miranda. She also couldn’t believe that she wasn’t drunk, or high, or deep in the throes of passion when she’d said them. And, most of all, she couldn’t believe that Miranda hadn’t freaked out or run away after she’d said them. Instead, she’d invited her to spend the weekend at the townhouse while Stephen was away. The brunette traced her fingernails over the pads of Miranda’s shoulder blades and kissed a soft, pale patch of skin.
*********************************
“So that was La Priestly…” Rob mused in the cab ride home. They’d stopped for frozen yogurt after the party.
It was so peacefully quiet that she nearly screamed when she heard the front door slam downstairs. “Miranda! Miranda, wake up! Fuck!” she scrambled for her clothes as Miranda slowly came back to life. Footsteps could be heard ungracefully tramping up the stairs. Steel blue eyes went wide with disbelief. They fumbled over each other in a tornado of panic and managed to throw on some clothes by the time the bedroom door flew open.
Cassidy, the nicer of the two, burst into the bedroom and came to a halt as she looked back and forth between her mother and Andy with one suspicious Priestly eyebrow lifted high on her face. “I thought you had to work this weekend.”
Miranda spoke up before Andy could form a suitable explanation. “Andrea convinced me to take a bit of a break. What’s wrong, Darling? Why aren’t you at your father’s?”
Cassidy frowned. “He decided to take us to the Hampton’s, but I still have to work on my science project. We tried to call you, but you didn‘t pick up.”
Andy cringed as Miranda shot her a deadly look. She was the one who’d insisted that they turn off their phones and spend some quiet time together. “Well,” Miranda choked. “Andrea was just leaving, so…”
“Oh! I almost forgot!” Andy yelped. She pulled out a copy of Twilight and handed it to the mini-Miranda. “Thanks for letting me borrow it.”
“Did you love it?” Cassidy squealed. She beamed as Andy nodded. “Okay, let me get New Moon from my room. It’s not as good, but you have to read it to get to the next one.” She ran off, leaving the couple alone again.
Miranda dragged her eyes to Andrea. “You’re sharing reading material with my thirteen-year-old?”
Andy lifted her shoulders sheepishly. Miranda’s cheekbones hinted at smile, which suddenly made her feel very warm. She wondered when she'd found the time to fall in love Miranda and her children. They'd gone from once-a-week trysts to everyday declarations of... adoration.
“Yup,” Andy yawned. She shut her eyes and leaned against his shoulder. “Thanks again for coming tonight.”
Rob grinned his perfect white smile. “It was nice! I never get to talk shop with Doug. He thinks real estate’s boring.”
“It is,” she yawned.
“Ew, why are you on his side?” he yelped.
“Whatever. Just remind me to thank him for lending me his pretty boyfriend.” She snuggled and started to drift off.
Rob ran his hand through Andy’s chocolate tresses. “You know, Stephen’s not such a bad guy. Don’t you ever feel guilty for being the other woman?”
The cab slowed and Andy thanked the Heavens for perfect timing. “Stephen’s an asshole,” she reconfirmed. She kissed him on his cheek, handed him a few dollars for her portion of the ride, and said goodnight.
As she walked inside and made her way into the elevator, the decision to trade her shady Bronx one-bedroom in for a Manhattan studio suddenly seemed ingenious. She wasn’t sure she would’ve made it through her old building without avoiding an assault of some kind. And yet… There, standing in front of her door, was a suspicious figure in a trench coat. An especially small figure in an especially gorgeous Burberry trench coat.
“Miranda?”
“I was beginning to think you’d gone home with him,” the older woman sighed.
“With who? What are you doing here?” She took a tentative step forward and froze. She gasped as her eyes raked over a particularly large bruise on her lover’s face. “What…?”
Miranda’s jaw tensed. “Can we go inside?”
“Of course!” Andy fumbled with her keys and pushed her door open. She cringed as they entered her messy apartment, but Miranda didn’t even seem to notice.
Miranda sat on Andy’s couch and waited as the brunette disappeared into the kitchen.
Within seconds, she stumbled back into the living room and handed her lover an ice pack.
“What the hell happened to you, Miranda? That bruise is ginormous!”
Miranda rolled her eyes. “Stephen and I had a fight. He… made some comments, and I slapped him. He… reacted. I just need to spend the night here until he sobers up a bit.”
“Stephen did this to you?” Andy demanded.
“It‘s not anything to-”
“I’m going to kill that motherfucker!”
“Calm down-”
“And what do you mean ‘until he sobers up’? You’re going back to him?” Andy tucked her hair behind her ear as she impatiently tapped her foot on her hardwood floor.
Miranda sighed. “It’s… complicated.”
“Is it?” Andy shrieked. “What could possibly be complicated, Miranda? I love you… And he…” Her voice cracked as she bit back oncoming tears.
“Andrea…” Miranda moved towards her lover, but Andy stopped her before she made it very far.
“I’m going out. Can you… Can you just make sure you’re gone before I get back in the morning?” She ignored Miranda’s quiet response as she grabbed her purse and stormed out of her apartment.
********************************************
Andrea Sachs didn’t take being stood up lightly. She intended to make Miranda pay for every second that she’d waited in their favorite restaurant. She’d been so excited-- they’d gone two whole weeks without seeing each other. Miranda had never shown up.
She stood in front of the townhouse with her fist tightly clenched to knock on the door. Before she had time to configure a plan, it was open. Stephen stood in front of her with an annoyed look on his face.
********************************************
The next morning, Andy woke up on Rob and Doug’s couch with a cramp in her neck. Her eyes fluttered open to see Doug sitting in a chair across from her. He smiled and gestured to a cup coffee on the table in front of her.
“Oh… I… Um, is Miranda here?” she stuttered.
“Nope,” he huffed. “It’s Angie, isn’t it?”
“Andrea,” Andy corrected, though she left out Miranda’s specific Ahn-dray-uh drawl.
Stephen’s pinched smile widened. “Why do you torture yourself, Andrea?”
“What?”
“Nobody hangs out with my wife just for the hell of it, if you know what I mean.”
His laugh sent shivers down her spine. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. “Miranda’s an amazing woman, Mr. Glass--”
“Call me Stephen.” He looked at her for a long moment. “Listen, do you want to come inside? Miranda should be home soon.”
Andy fiddled with her purse. “Um… are the twins here?”
Stephen shook his head. “They're with their father. It’s just you and me, Andrea…”
Andy felt like she needed to take a shower to wash off his filth. “I have to go, Mr. Glass. Tell Miranda I stopped by.” She turned on her heel and stepped back down onto the sidewalk.
Her phone buzzed from inside of her purse and she picked it up. “Hello?” she breathed.
“Where are you? I’ve been here for ten minutes.”
“Miranda?”
“Who else would it be, Andrea?”
“I thought… Um… You’re at the…? We were supposed to meet at six.”
She could hear Miranda let out a long breath on the other line. “I told you I had a late meeting, and you said eight o’clock would be fine. We talked about it on Friday.”
The blood rushed all the way through her pretty little brunette head. “Oh. I’ll be there in ten.” She felt like the biggest idiot in the world. She felt like the luckiest woman in the universe.
“G’morning,” Andy mumbled. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were pink and puffed from crying, and she was still wearing her dress from the night before.
Doug’s eyes stayed fixed on his best friend. “Hey Sleeping Beauty,” he teased with a chuckle. “What’s your plan for today?”
“I don’t know,” Andy admitted. “When do you guys leave?”
“We have to be at the airport at 3. Why don’t you come to Ohio with us? My parents would love to see you-- Hell, your parents would love to see you!”
“I wish I could, but I need to stay here... I need to talk to Miranda. Her daughters are upstate with their dad’s family for the holidays so she‘s kind of alone.” She took the first sip of her coffee.
“She has her husband,” Doug pointed out.
“Fuck you,” Andy immediately retaliated. “It’s Christmas Eve.”
Doug exhaled and sat back. “Mmmhmmm…“ he hummed.
“What?“ Andy growled. “What, Doug?”
“I just don’t get why you keep putting yourself in this situation. Stop acting stupid, Andy… If she really wanted you, she’d leave her husband!” His final words rang in the room.
Andy swallowed and regained her composure. “Thanks for letting me sleep here last night.” She gathered her things and walked to the door. “I‘m not stupid.” She turned the doorknob and left her best friend behind in his apartment.
********************************************
“I’m dating Miranda Priestly.”
*********************************************
Andy had returned home to find no trace of Miranda. She’d quickly showered, dressed, and gone on a hunt for the woman she loved. The townhouse had seemed empty-- and there’d been no sign of Roy or Stephen anywhere in the usual spots.
Doug choked on his appletini. “Excuse me… What?”
Andy bit her bottom lip. “I mean, we’re not dating exactly…”
“Then what EXACTLY are you doing with her, Andy?” Doug demanded.
“I’m… We’re um… having an affair.”
A flood of emotions showed on his face over the next few moments. “Okay, so not only are you a big homo like me, but your woman happens to be married, too? And twice your age? And Miranda fucking Priestly?”
Andy nodded as her cheeks flushed pink. “But you can’t tell anybody-- not even Lily. I swear to God, Doug-- if ANYBODY finds out…”
“Alright, I get it. I won’t tell anyone your dirty little secret.” A devious grin slowly started to form on his face. “So…?”
“It’s just a fling. A really, really good fling.”
So she ends up here; standing in front of building that she’d vowed to never step foot in again. She gulps down the lump in throat and walks in. It’s Christmas Eve and the Elias-Clark building is deserted. Not even Randy the security guard is there. Andy slips into the first elevator she can, rides up to the 12th floor, and steps out onto Runway territory.
Just as she’d thought, Miranda is sitting behind her desk with a pile of work in front of her. “I guessed you’d be here…” the brunette drawls.
“I had some things to finish up,” Miranda explains without even bothering to look up from her laptop.
Andy can handle it-- she’s used to being ignored by the woman. “How did you sleep?“ she asks.
Miranda rolls her eyes. “I slept well. How about you? How did you sleep? I’m assuming you slept with your pretty little boyfriend after you left last night…”
“I… I’m sorry that we had a fight, Miranda, but you can’t--” Andy’s jaw tenses as she tries to go on. “And Rob’s not my boyfriend, anyway.”
“Just a little fuckbuddy?” Miranda hums. “How classy.”
“Isn’t that what I am to you?” Andy blurts. Miranda face drains to white. That‘s right, Andy:1/Miranda: Big, fat, 0. “Rob’s gay, Miranda. He’s Doug’s boyfriend. I just borrowed him for the night.” She scolds herself for having the hint of a conscience.
Miranda’s eyebrows perk up at the confession. “You didn’t…”
“No, Miranda. I’ve never slept with him,” Andy finishes for her. “I’m loyal,” she pointedly adds.
Miranda stares at her for a l long scrutinizing moment. “I have things to do,” she finally says. She goes about her work, trying to ignore Andy’s presence.
“Miranda, if you don’t choose right now, I’m not coming back.” Andy shifts from foot to foot with butterflies that feel like eagles in the pit of her stomach.
Miranda purses her lips, though there’s no crack in her ice. “You make it sound as if there’s something to choose. It’s not a matter of choice, Andrea. I’m a married woman.”
Andy feels the tears that trickle down and land on her cheeks, but she’s too numb to care. She nods her head and walks out. Behind her, she can hear traces of her name but it’s dampened by the ringing in her ears. She gets into the elevator and walks out on Miranda all over again. Because, for the second time in her life, Andy’s reminded that Miranda is a selfish, unfeeling bitch. She should’ve listened to her instincts the first time with the Nigel incident in Paris. Yet, here she is…
*****************************************
It’s now been four weeks since Andy last saw Miranda. She’s done a fine job of filling the hole with work. She’s busier than ever-- too busy to go on the blind dates that Doug and Rob keep trying to set her up on.
Spending Christmas alone probably would have killed her if she’d actually spent it alone. Instead, she’d gone to a pet rescue and adopted a corgi named Otis. She named him after Otis Redding, because lately she’s been listening to him nonstop.
She moves slower than she used to, and she’s grown accustomed to being nauseous nearly all the time. She considers morning sickness. Yeah, that’s it. She’s carrying Miranda Priestly’s love child.
She’s walking Otis to a no-leash dog park today as a little treat. She’s sick of being cooped up in cabs, and offices, and itty bitty studio apartments (well, just one of those). When she gets there, she lets him off of his leash and he sprints over to a Chihuahua. “Be careful,” she says, too quiet for anyone to hear. “She’ll probably just rip your heart out, little guy.”
She sits on a nearby bench and watches Otis play with the other dogs. After a few moments pass by, she notices a St. Bernard that looks strikingly familiar. And then she sees the unmistakable pink studded collar around the sloppy dog‘s neck. “Shit!” she whispers. “Shit, shit, shit!” She stands up and looks around her. She pulls her collar up and tries to get a hold of Otis, but she notices a pair of sharp blue eyes already locked in on her. She freezes and slowly raises her hand to a wave. A stupid wave.
Miranda nods and comes toward her, sending her into an instant panic.
“What are you doing here?” Andy demands, her heart racing.
Miranda tenses. “I’m the one with the dog. What are you doing here?”
“I have one too. I uh… I got one,” Andy stutters. “Um… You look good,” she adds in attempt to recover. Besides, it’s true. Miranda smiles. “You always look good, Miranda.”
“I was going to call you. I was afraid that you wouldn’t pick up.“ There’s an awkward exchange of longing looks until the older woman clears her throat. “Would you have lunch with me? I know a place… We can sit outside. With the dogs.”
Andy nods and, before she can gather the courage to walk away, they’re sitting on the patio of a chic little café across the street. Otis is huddled up in the corner, trying to stay as far away from Patricia as he can. She’s smitten with the little dog, and his leash only allows him to go so far.
Andy pulls a copy of New Moon out of her bag and slides it across the table to Miranda. “I forgot to give this back. I’ve been carrying it around forever.”
Miranda sips her coffee. “You left me,” she says quietly. Sadly.
Andy looks up and flushes red. “You chose Stephen.“ She barely gets it out.
“I wanted you, but I already had Stephen.”
At this, Andy’s eyebrows perch high up on her forehead. “You had me, Miranda. I just wasn’t willing to share you anymore.” She waits for a response but Miranda’s being stubborn, as usual. “How is Mr. Priestly, anyway?” she quips.
“I wouldn’t know,” Miranda admits. “I haven’t talked to him in over a week. His lawyers seem to be just fine considering the million dollar settlement they managed to negotiate, though.”
Andy nearly chokes on her coffee. “You… you…”
“It’s the beginning of my messiest divorce yet. He’s not even being civilized.”
Andy blinks a few times. “What are you telling me, Miranda? Are you… single now?”
Miranda starts to blush, but Andy knows better than to point it out. “I was hoping that you would answer that question for me.”
This makes Andy smile for the first time in a month. “You want to be a real couple?” She’s giddy within a matter of seconds. “Did you leave him? Or did he leave you?” she asks, before her happiness gets complete control of her.
“It was mutual,” Miranda says without hesitation. “I told him that were incompatible… he told me that I turned him into a monster. Anyway, it‘s for the best.”
“So…” Andy drawls, “you left Stephen. Period. Or did you leave him so that you could be with me?”
Miranda’s quiet for a moment. “You were a large factor. I realized… I…” She looks as if she’s waiting for Andy to bail her out by saying she understands, but apparently she’s going to have to work for it. “I want you.” Not quite an ‘I love you’. “I… love… spending time with you. Stephen was the only thing preventing me from doing that.”
“That’s it?” Andy asks, slightly deflated.
“Isn’t that enough?” Miranda grits.
“We’ve been doing this for over a year, Miranda. You don’t have anything else to say to me?”
Miranda rolls her eyes and takes a bite of salad, which buys her about 30 extra seconds of time. “If you don’t know it already, then you don’t deserve to hear it.”
“Know what, Miranda?” Andy prods. “I just need to hear you say it once.”
“Of all the childish things…”
“Just once…”
“I love you,” Miranda finally says. “I love you, Andrea. I. Love. You. Alright?”
Andy’s stunned. She reaches over and grabs Miranda’s ring-free hands. “I love you, too,” she beams. Only, this time Andy won't regret it.
FIN.
Title: Guilty
Pairing: Miranda/Stephen, Andy/Miranda
Rating: M
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Summary: Sequel to Guilty.
Andy peeked into the dark study to see Miranda idly fidgeting with the fur on Patricia’s belly. She squinted to see the clock on Miranda’s desk and sighed. Soon, people would be leaving. Soon, she would be out of this tedious gown and sleeping soundly in her own bed.
Laughter and the clinking of glasses could be heard from downstairs. “Look at you, hiding out,” she finally husked.
Miranda jumped up at the sound, and only slightly settled when the lights flickered on. “Don’t sneak up on me,” she hissed.
“I wasn’t trying to...” Andy plopped down on the couch next in between Miranda and Patricia. “I missed you. Why‘d you disappear?”
“I just couldn’t bear to sit through another second of that vapid conversation,” she rumbled. “Robert certainly is the life of my party, isn‘t he?”
“Miranda…” Andy warned.
“No, you should be happy, Andrea. You’ve managed to find someone even more wide-eyed and sickeningly charming than yourself. I’ll bet you even have matching pajamas.”
Andy cringed. Rob was admittedly the smoothest operator she’d ever met. “That’s not fair, Miranda. You made me bring a date. You told me that it would make things easier. I didn’t even want to come to this stupid thing-”
“Calm down,” Miranda cooed, seemingly softer. “Robert isn’t entirely useless. I’m just… being difficult.”
Andy cocked an eyebrow. “How… out of character of you,” she teased before kneeling down in front of her lover.
Miranda would have reprimanded the girl if her mouth wasn’t suddenly full of… well, Andrea’s mouth. She whimpered in spite of herself. “You should go back downstairs.”
“You should shut up and let me kiss you,” Andy whispered, ignoring the suggestion. She shooed Patricia away and straddled Miranda on the couch.
“Andrea, stop it,” the editor panted as she tried to ignore the throb between her thighs. Losing an internal battle against her desire, Miranda managed to top Andrea and pull the girl’s dress up around her waist. Her nimble fingers found their familiar haven in between Andy’s thighs and, within seconds, she was stroking and teasing Andy through black lace.
“These cost half of my paycheck,” the brunette grunted, pulling at the waistband of her panties. She wanted them off. Fast.
“I’ll buy you a new pair!” Miranda gasped.
Tonight, they didn’t have time to spare- And thank God that Andy didn’t need all of the extras. Surely it was only a matter of time before people noticed their absence downstairs.
“I need you…“ Andy breathed. “Inside…“ Without warning, Miranda pushed three anxious fingers into Andy. “Ouch! Fuck!” the brunette yelped before snatching Miranda’s hand from inside of her. “Are you wearing rings?!”
Miranda’s cheeks flushed.
Andy sat back, and noted that one of the rings on her lover’s fingers was her wedding band. “I’ve never seen you wear those before…” she panted, biting back newly ignited flames of jealousy.
Miranda looked as if she’d been doused with ice water. “I just forgot to take them off,” she grumbled. “I wasn’t expecting you to burst in here and-”
“You mean you always wear your wedding ring when you’re not with me?” the brunette stuttered as she struggled to ignore the slickness between her thighs.
Miranda sighed and pulled away. “He’s my husband, Andrea…”
“I know that, Miranda,” Andy hissed.
The room remained silent for several moments until Miranda finally whispered, “I know that you know.” She pulled Andy’s head to her lips for a softer kiss, and sighed. She turned to kiss Andy again-this time, softly on her lips.
“We should go back downstairs,” Andy groaned, reluctant to pull away. “Although… Stephen and Rob seem to be getting along really well. I see the start of a beautiful bromance. Wouldn’t that be convenient? They could distract each other while we…. distract each other…” She wiggled her eyebrows with a devious grin.
Miranda’s lips twitched into the beginnings of a smile. “Stephen is just a friendly drunk. Trust me; he’s incapable of making even that small of a commitment when he‘s sober.”
“He sure is committed to staying married to you,” Andy mumbled.
Miranda frowned. “You go first. I’ll wait a few minutes.”
Andy nodded and slipped out of the office.
Back downstairs, she found Rob and a group of men in too-expensive suits still engaged in a riveting real estate discussion. “Excuse me boys,” Andy drawled. She took a hold of Rob’s arm and pulled him into a nearby corner. “Can we leave? Now?.”
***************************
Andy couldn’t believe that she’d said those three words to Miranda. She also couldn’t believe that she wasn’t drunk, or high, or deep in the throes of passion when she’d said them. And, most of all, she couldn’t believe that Miranda hadn’t freaked out or run away after she’d said them. Instead, she’d invited her to spend the weekend at the townhouse while Stephen was away. The brunette traced her fingernails over the pads of Miranda’s shoulder blades and kissed a soft, pale patch of skin.
*********************************
“So that was La Priestly…” Rob mused in the cab ride home. They’d stopped for frozen yogurt after the party.
It was so peacefully quiet that she nearly screamed when she heard the front door slam downstairs. “Miranda! Miranda, wake up! Fuck!” she scrambled for her clothes as Miranda slowly came back to life. Footsteps could be heard ungracefully tramping up the stairs. Steel blue eyes went wide with disbelief. They fumbled over each other in a tornado of panic and managed to throw on some clothes by the time the bedroom door flew open.
Cassidy, the nicer of the two, burst into the bedroom and came to a halt as she looked back and forth between her mother and Andy with one suspicious Priestly eyebrow lifted high on her face. “I thought you had to work this weekend.”
Miranda spoke up before Andy could form a suitable explanation. “Andrea convinced me to take a bit of a break. What’s wrong, Darling? Why aren’t you at your father’s?”
Cassidy frowned. “He decided to take us to the Hampton’s, but I still have to work on my science project. We tried to call you, but you didn‘t pick up.”
Andy cringed as Miranda shot her a deadly look. She was the one who’d insisted that they turn off their phones and spend some quiet time together. “Well,” Miranda choked. “Andrea was just leaving, so…”
“Oh! I almost forgot!” Andy yelped. She pulled out a copy of Twilight and handed it to the mini-Miranda. “Thanks for letting me borrow it.”
“Did you love it?” Cassidy squealed. She beamed as Andy nodded. “Okay, let me get New Moon from my room. It’s not as good, but you have to read it to get to the next one.” She ran off, leaving the couple alone again.
Miranda dragged her eyes to Andrea. “You’re sharing reading material with my thirteen-year-old?”
Andy lifted her shoulders sheepishly. Miranda’s cheekbones hinted at smile, which suddenly made her feel very warm. She wondered when she'd found the time to fall in love Miranda and her children. They'd gone from once-a-week trysts to everyday declarations of... adoration.
“Yup,” Andy yawned. She shut her eyes and leaned against his shoulder. “Thanks again for coming tonight.”
Rob grinned his perfect white smile. “It was nice! I never get to talk shop with Doug. He thinks real estate’s boring.”
“It is,” she yawned.
“Ew, why are you on his side?” he yelped.
“Whatever. Just remind me to thank him for lending me his pretty boyfriend.” She snuggled and started to drift off.
Rob ran his hand through Andy’s chocolate tresses. “You know, Stephen’s not such a bad guy. Don’t you ever feel guilty for being the other woman?”
The cab slowed and Andy thanked the Heavens for perfect timing. “Stephen’s an asshole,” she reconfirmed. She kissed him on his cheek, handed him a few dollars for her portion of the ride, and said goodnight.
As she walked inside and made her way into the elevator, the decision to trade her shady Bronx one-bedroom in for a Manhattan studio suddenly seemed ingenious. She wasn’t sure she would’ve made it through her old building without avoiding an assault of some kind. And yet… There, standing in front of her door, was a suspicious figure in a trench coat. An especially small figure in an especially gorgeous Burberry trench coat.
“Miranda?”
“I was beginning to think you’d gone home with him,” the older woman sighed.
“With who? What are you doing here?” She took a tentative step forward and froze. She gasped as her eyes raked over a particularly large bruise on her lover’s face. “What…?”
Miranda’s jaw tensed. “Can we go inside?”
“Of course!” Andy fumbled with her keys and pushed her door open. She cringed as they entered her messy apartment, but Miranda didn’t even seem to notice.
Miranda sat on Andy’s couch and waited as the brunette disappeared into the kitchen.
Within seconds, she stumbled back into the living room and handed her lover an ice pack.
“What the hell happened to you, Miranda? That bruise is ginormous!”
Miranda rolled her eyes. “Stephen and I had a fight. He… made some comments, and I slapped him. He… reacted. I just need to spend the night here until he sobers up a bit.”
“Stephen did this to you?” Andy demanded.
“It‘s not anything to-”
“I’m going to kill that motherfucker!”
“Calm down-”
“And what do you mean ‘until he sobers up’? You’re going back to him?” Andy tucked her hair behind her ear as she impatiently tapped her foot on her hardwood floor.
Miranda sighed. “It’s… complicated.”
“Is it?” Andy shrieked. “What could possibly be complicated, Miranda? I love you… And he…” Her voice cracked as she bit back oncoming tears.
“Andrea…” Miranda moved towards her lover, but Andy stopped her before she made it very far.
“I’m going out. Can you… Can you just make sure you’re gone before I get back in the morning?” She ignored Miranda’s quiet response as she grabbed her purse and stormed out of her apartment.
********************************************
Andrea Sachs didn’t take being stood up lightly. She intended to make Miranda pay for every second that she’d waited in their favorite restaurant. She’d been so excited-- they’d gone two whole weeks without seeing each other. Miranda had never shown up.
She stood in front of the townhouse with her fist tightly clenched to knock on the door. Before she had time to configure a plan, it was open. Stephen stood in front of her with an annoyed look on his face.
********************************************
The next morning, Andy woke up on Rob and Doug’s couch with a cramp in her neck. Her eyes fluttered open to see Doug sitting in a chair across from her. He smiled and gestured to a cup coffee on the table in front of her.
“Oh… I… Um, is Miranda here?” she stuttered.
“Nope,” he huffed. “It’s Angie, isn’t it?”
“Andrea,” Andy corrected, though she left out Miranda’s specific Ahn-dray-uh drawl.
Stephen’s pinched smile widened. “Why do you torture yourself, Andrea?”
“What?”
“Nobody hangs out with my wife just for the hell of it, if you know what I mean.”
His laugh sent shivers down her spine. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. “Miranda’s an amazing woman, Mr. Glass--”
“Call me Stephen.” He looked at her for a long moment. “Listen, do you want to come inside? Miranda should be home soon.”
Andy fiddled with her purse. “Um… are the twins here?”
Stephen shook his head. “They're with their father. It’s just you and me, Andrea…”
Andy felt like she needed to take a shower to wash off his filth. “I have to go, Mr. Glass. Tell Miranda I stopped by.” She turned on her heel and stepped back down onto the sidewalk.
Her phone buzzed from inside of her purse and she picked it up. “Hello?” she breathed.
“Where are you? I’ve been here for ten minutes.”
“Miranda?”
“Who else would it be, Andrea?”
“I thought… Um… You’re at the…? We were supposed to meet at six.”
She could hear Miranda let out a long breath on the other line. “I told you I had a late meeting, and you said eight o’clock would be fine. We talked about it on Friday.”
The blood rushed all the way through her pretty little brunette head. “Oh. I’ll be there in ten.” She felt like the biggest idiot in the world. She felt like the luckiest woman in the universe.
“G’morning,” Andy mumbled. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were pink and puffed from crying, and she was still wearing her dress from the night before.
Doug’s eyes stayed fixed on his best friend. “Hey Sleeping Beauty,” he teased with a chuckle. “What’s your plan for today?”
“I don’t know,” Andy admitted. “When do you guys leave?”
“We have to be at the airport at 3. Why don’t you come to Ohio with us? My parents would love to see you-- Hell, your parents would love to see you!”
“I wish I could, but I need to stay here... I need to talk to Miranda. Her daughters are upstate with their dad’s family for the holidays so she‘s kind of alone.” She took the first sip of her coffee.
“She has her husband,” Doug pointed out.
“Fuck you,” Andy immediately retaliated. “It’s Christmas Eve.”
Doug exhaled and sat back. “Mmmhmmm…“ he hummed.
“What?“ Andy growled. “What, Doug?”
“I just don’t get why you keep putting yourself in this situation. Stop acting stupid, Andy… If she really wanted you, she’d leave her husband!” His final words rang in the room.
Andy swallowed and regained her composure. “Thanks for letting me sleep here last night.” She gathered her things and walked to the door. “I‘m not stupid.” She turned the doorknob and left her best friend behind in his apartment.
********************************************
“I’m dating Miranda Priestly.”
*********************************************
Andy had returned home to find no trace of Miranda. She’d quickly showered, dressed, and gone on a hunt for the woman she loved. The townhouse had seemed empty-- and there’d been no sign of Roy or Stephen anywhere in the usual spots.
Doug choked on his appletini. “Excuse me… What?”
Andy bit her bottom lip. “I mean, we’re not dating exactly…”
“Then what EXACTLY are you doing with her, Andy?” Doug demanded.
“I’m… We’re um… having an affair.”
A flood of emotions showed on his face over the next few moments. “Okay, so not only are you a big homo like me, but your woman happens to be married, too? And twice your age? And Miranda fucking Priestly?”
Andy nodded as her cheeks flushed pink. “But you can’t tell anybody-- not even Lily. I swear to God, Doug-- if ANYBODY finds out…”
“Alright, I get it. I won’t tell anyone your dirty little secret.” A devious grin slowly started to form on his face. “So…?”
“It’s just a fling. A really, really good fling.”
So she ends up here; standing in front of building that she’d vowed to never step foot in again. She gulps down the lump in throat and walks in. It’s Christmas Eve and the Elias-Clark building is deserted. Not even Randy the security guard is there. Andy slips into the first elevator she can, rides up to the 12th floor, and steps out onto Runway territory.
Just as she’d thought, Miranda is sitting behind her desk with a pile of work in front of her. “I guessed you’d be here…” the brunette drawls.
“I had some things to finish up,” Miranda explains without even bothering to look up from her laptop.
Andy can handle it-- she’s used to being ignored by the woman. “How did you sleep?“ she asks.
Miranda rolls her eyes. “I slept well. How about you? How did you sleep? I’m assuming you slept with your pretty little boyfriend after you left last night…”
“I… I’m sorry that we had a fight, Miranda, but you can’t--” Andy’s jaw tenses as she tries to go on. “And Rob’s not my boyfriend, anyway.”
“Just a little fuckbuddy?” Miranda hums. “How classy.”
“Isn’t that what I am to you?” Andy blurts. Miranda face drains to white. That‘s right, Andy:1/Miranda: Big, fat, 0. “Rob’s gay, Miranda. He’s Doug’s boyfriend. I just borrowed him for the night.” She scolds herself for having the hint of a conscience.
Miranda’s eyebrows perk up at the confession. “You didn’t…”
“No, Miranda. I’ve never slept with him,” Andy finishes for her. “I’m loyal,” she pointedly adds.
Miranda stares at her for a l long scrutinizing moment. “I have things to do,” she finally says. She goes about her work, trying to ignore Andy’s presence.
“Miranda, if you don’t choose right now, I’m not coming back.” Andy shifts from foot to foot with butterflies that feel like eagles in the pit of her stomach.
Miranda purses her lips, though there’s no crack in her ice. “You make it sound as if there’s something to choose. It’s not a matter of choice, Andrea. I’m a married woman.”
Andy feels the tears that trickle down and land on her cheeks, but she’s too numb to care. She nods her head and walks out. Behind her, she can hear traces of her name but it’s dampened by the ringing in her ears. She gets into the elevator and walks out on Miranda all over again. Because, for the second time in her life, Andy’s reminded that Miranda is a selfish, unfeeling bitch. She should’ve listened to her instincts the first time with the Nigel incident in Paris. Yet, here she is…
*****************************************
It’s now been four weeks since Andy last saw Miranda. She’s done a fine job of filling the hole with work. She’s busier than ever-- too busy to go on the blind dates that Doug and Rob keep trying to set her up on.
Spending Christmas alone probably would have killed her if she’d actually spent it alone. Instead, she’d gone to a pet rescue and adopted a corgi named Otis. She named him after Otis Redding, because lately she’s been listening to him nonstop.
She moves slower than she used to, and she’s grown accustomed to being nauseous nearly all the time. She considers morning sickness. Yeah, that’s it. She’s carrying Miranda Priestly’s love child.
She’s walking Otis to a no-leash dog park today as a little treat. She’s sick of being cooped up in cabs, and offices, and itty bitty studio apartments (well, just one of those). When she gets there, she lets him off of his leash and he sprints over to a Chihuahua. “Be careful,” she says, too quiet for anyone to hear. “She’ll probably just rip your heart out, little guy.”
She sits on a nearby bench and watches Otis play with the other dogs. After a few moments pass by, she notices a St. Bernard that looks strikingly familiar. And then she sees the unmistakable pink studded collar around the sloppy dog‘s neck. “Shit!” she whispers. “Shit, shit, shit!” She stands up and looks around her. She pulls her collar up and tries to get a hold of Otis, but she notices a pair of sharp blue eyes already locked in on her. She freezes and slowly raises her hand to a wave. A stupid wave.
Miranda nods and comes toward her, sending her into an instant panic.
“What are you doing here?” Andy demands, her heart racing.
Miranda tenses. “I’m the one with the dog. What are you doing here?”
“I have one too. I uh… I got one,” Andy stutters. “Um… You look good,” she adds in attempt to recover. Besides, it’s true. Miranda smiles. “You always look good, Miranda.”
“I was going to call you. I was afraid that you wouldn’t pick up.“ There’s an awkward exchange of longing looks until the older woman clears her throat. “Would you have lunch with me? I know a place… We can sit outside. With the dogs.”
Andy nods and, before she can gather the courage to walk away, they’re sitting on the patio of a chic little café across the street. Otis is huddled up in the corner, trying to stay as far away from Patricia as he can. She’s smitten with the little dog, and his leash only allows him to go so far.
Andy pulls a copy of New Moon out of her bag and slides it across the table to Miranda. “I forgot to give this back. I’ve been carrying it around forever.”
Miranda sips her coffee. “You left me,” she says quietly. Sadly.
Andy looks up and flushes red. “You chose Stephen.“ She barely gets it out.
“I wanted you, but I already had Stephen.”
At this, Andy’s eyebrows perch high up on her forehead. “You had me, Miranda. I just wasn’t willing to share you anymore.” She waits for a response but Miranda’s being stubborn, as usual. “How is Mr. Priestly, anyway?” she quips.
“I wouldn’t know,” Miranda admits. “I haven’t talked to him in over a week. His lawyers seem to be just fine considering the million dollar settlement they managed to negotiate, though.”
Andy nearly chokes on her coffee. “You… you…”
“It’s the beginning of my messiest divorce yet. He’s not even being civilized.”
Andy blinks a few times. “What are you telling me, Miranda? Are you… single now?”
Miranda starts to blush, but Andy knows better than to point it out. “I was hoping that you would answer that question for me.”
This makes Andy smile for the first time in a month. “You want to be a real couple?” She’s giddy within a matter of seconds. “Did you leave him? Or did he leave you?” she asks, before her happiness gets complete control of her.
“It was mutual,” Miranda says without hesitation. “I told him that were incompatible… he told me that I turned him into a monster. Anyway, it‘s for the best.”
“So…” Andy drawls, “you left Stephen. Period. Or did you leave him so that you could be with me?”
Miranda’s quiet for a moment. “You were a large factor. I realized… I…” She looks as if she’s waiting for Andy to bail her out by saying she understands, but apparently she’s going to have to work for it. “I want you.” Not quite an ‘I love you’. “I… love… spending time with you. Stephen was the only thing preventing me from doing that.”
“That’s it?” Andy asks, slightly deflated.
“Isn’t that enough?” Miranda grits.
“We’ve been doing this for over a year, Miranda. You don’t have anything else to say to me?”
Miranda rolls her eyes and takes a bite of salad, which buys her about 30 extra seconds of time. “If you don’t know it already, then you don’t deserve to hear it.”
“Know what, Miranda?” Andy prods. “I just need to hear you say it once.”
“Of all the childish things…”
“Just once…”
“I love you,” Miranda finally says. “I love you, Andrea. I. Love. You. Alright?”
Andy’s stunned. She reaches over and grabs Miranda’s ring-free hands. “I love you, too,” she beams. Only, this time Andy won't regret it.
FIN.